


something permanent

by evanescent



Category: Batman (Comics), DCU (Comics)
Genre: Gen, mentioned dinahbabs, vague pre-reboot continuity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-25
Updated: 2017-09-25
Packaged: 2019-01-05 12:19:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12189867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/evanescent/pseuds/evanescent
Summary: That’s – not what Barbara expected. At first she thought Jason came to ask for help with some case, but after it became apparent it’s not vigilante-related, she had a sneaking suspicion he’s going to try to rope her into pulling a prank on one of his siblings or something like that.“This gotta be one of the very few times I surprised you enough to render you speechless,” Jason comments with a hint of dry humour....Barbara and Jason talk about school, paperwork and taking back missed opportunities.





	something permanent

**Author's Note:**

> I have a few wips staring accusingly at me from my drive but i can’t commit to anything long enough to finish it and it’s driving me up against the wall. uni starts next week and it’s also not helping. this fic actually happened as a distraction from a distraction fic, so. you get the idea

Even though the alarms remain silent, Barbara knows someone entered the Clocktower; of course she does. But she can also tell it’s one of her allies, so she doesn’t even bother to stop what she’s doing right now – going through some senator's secret accounts overflowing with money of a shady origin – to check the cameras and see who decided to grace her with their presence. The guest will come forward on their own anyway.

Soon enough, she hears heavy, dragging footsteps approaching, an easy tell of a long and tiring patrol, and so Barbara isn’t surprised at all when she hears a modulated voice speak, “Hey, Babs, got a minute to spare for me?”

Barbara hums in acknowledgement. “Let me wrap a few things up,” she answers. “Make yourself at home.”

Jason grunts something in reply and Barbara focuses on the tasks at hand. She forwards the information on senator’s financial situation to Nightwing, updates the Watchtower’s security files from last week on Martian Manhunter’s request and takes a look around Gotham, noting it’s almost four; most of the vigilantes have already retired for the night. Last but not least, she contacts the Birds of Prey, whose plane is currently crossing the Atlantic after their recently completed mission in Spain. Dinah sounds positively cheerful, painting a very tempting picture of the two of them doing absolutely nothing for _at least_ a whole day. Just before signing off, Barbara decides she may indulge her.

Muting all the comms, Barbara turns her wheelchair around to face Jason, surprised to find him grinning at her from where’s he sitting astride in a swivel chair.

“I take it things between you and Black Canary are going well?” he asks, arms placed on the backrest. He ditched both the helmet and his domino mask, his hair is an unruly mess and the light from the many screens makes him look pale, but also younger; a not-so-distant memory of a gangly, bright teenager comes to her unasked.

Barbara shakes her head, a ghost of a smile on her lips. “Things are fine,” she says and pointedly raises an eyebrow. “But I don’t think you came here to talk about my relationship?”

“Shoot, you got me there,” Jason replies, idly trying to spin in the chair – trying, since his limbs are too long to do that effectively. It’s definitely easier for Stephanie or Cassandra. “So, I’ve been thinking,” he starts, going for casual, which tells Barbara it’s going to be anything _but_ casual, “about getting the GED.”

That’s – not what Barbara expected. At first she thought Jason came to ask for help with some case, but after it became apparent it’s not vigilante-related, she had a sneaking suspicion he’s going to try to rope her into pulling a prank on one of his siblings or something like that.

“This gotta be one of the very few times I surprised you enough to render you speechless,” Jason comments with a hint of dry humour. Barbara blinks and chuckles.

“You did, but in a positive way,” she assures him. “Jason, that’s a great idea. Have you considered which college you’re going to apply for? Personally, I’d recommend –”

“Hey, hang on there,” Jason interrupts, looking both amused and alarmed. “First, I have to take the tests and pass them with some decent results.”

She props her elbow up on her knee and leans the chin into an open palm. “Of course, but you’re doing it to get into college, aren’t you?”

“Well, yeah,” he confirms and, thank for small miracles, he sounds just slightly defensive.

Barbara can’t help but think back to a conversation she had with Dick a few months ago, when he tried to casually allude to the fact he’s worried about Jason not attempting to build a life for himself outside of being the Red Hood. (Dick’s attempt was neither casual nor alluding; Barbara learnt a long time ago that those boys are really bad at both.) The chances of Jason willingly working with them on a good night back then were around fifty-fifty and sometimes he even made an effort to team up with – or at least, not antagonize – other superheroes, so that was definitely a progress. Every once in a while, he’d even drop by the Manor or hang out with his family in the light of the day, but he drew a line at anything treading an edge of a long-term commitment or being remotely public. Ongoing reconciliation aside, that was a little puzzling; Jason had an astonishing number of fake IDs and other documents, not to mention the safe houses – Barbara thinks that between her and Bruce, they’d able to round them all up; keyword being _thinks_. Jason, or rather, his crafted personas (because some people trust Batman, some Red Hood, but most of them trust neither), had some ties in many parts of Gotham, but he didn’t seem to favor any of them above the others, ready to abandon one at a moment’s notice. It’s like everything was temporary and fleeting to him. 

Dick didn’t consider it be healthy and frankly, neither did Barbara. Now, however...

“Anyway, there’s this one little problem,” Jason continues after a moment of silence, clearing his throat. “Me not being a legal entity and all that.”

She tilts her head and adjusts her glasses. “You want me to set up some decent-looking paperwork.”

He nods. “Yeah. I know it’s not that easy, but…” He licks his lips. “I’d be grateful for that.”

For a careful moment, Barbara considers if she should tell Jason about something she found out – and thinks it’d be unfair if she didn’t.

“You know, a while ago, while going through one of the Batcomputer’s drives…”

“Wait, you’re saying you poked your nose into Bruce’s stuff? Babs, how could you!” Jason exclaims, pretending to be scandalized.

“You make it sound like me poking my nose into other people’s business is not something Oracle does for a living,” she scoffs and Jason laughs at that. Barbara’s own lips twitch, but she becomes serious once again. “I did stumble on those files accidently, though. They were not meant for me.” It’s not like Bruce tried to make a secret out of it, but chances of someone other than her (and maybe Tim, if he felt nosy enough) finding them were low. “He has a lot of paperwork drawn up already, Jason. To re-establish your existence either as Jason Todd-Wayne or someone else.” Her voice softens a tad. “All you’d have to do is ask.”

Or maybe not even that much since, as far as she knows, Bruce had started doing that even before he and Jason fully reconciled which is both such a sweet and _such a Bruce_ thing to do.

“That’s…” Jason starts and swallows, blinking rapidly for a moment. “I do appreciate it, even though it’s Bruce jumping to conclusions without fact-checking with me first. But I don’t think I’m ready for that yet. Ever. I don’t know.” He rubs a hand over his cheek. “And the spotlight I’d get from media is about the last thing I want right now.”

Jason has a valid point here; they’d be able to keep such news under wraps for a very limited time before it got out to the public and brought the Wayne family fresh waves of attention, gossips, conspiracy theories and people digging into things they shouldn’t.

“It’s okay, I just wanted you to know all your options,” Barbara says and stretches her arms above her head, locking her fingers. “So, when do you need the papers ready for?”

“Um, enrolment for GEDs is due to this Friday, so I guess…?”

“ _This Friday_?” Barbara repeats, incredulous.

“Yeah, is that a problem?” Jason raises his eyebrows with a smirk. “You won’t make it in time?”

“Now you’re _deliberately_ being cheeky,” she huffs and punches him in the am. “I’m just surprised you’re doing it so soon.”

Jason scoffs, stares at the dusty floor of the Clocktower. There may be the faintest blush to his cheeks as he says, “...I started studying weeks ago, actually.”

“But you came to tell me about this just now? Unbelievable!” Barbara exclaims, shaking her head.

“I’d have come earlier, but I kept… putting it off,” Jason explains, scraping his foot against the ground. “One moment I was happy to be trying to do this, the next the whole idea seemed stupid. Finally figured it’s now or never.”

“I’m glad you figured right,” she says. “Honestly though, you can do this, Jason. You’re going to pass with flying colors.”

He rolls his eyes at the words, but otherwise looks pleased. “I’m not fifteen anymore. You don’t have to hold my hand and assure me I’ve worked hard enough to pass that Maths test.”

“I certainly don’t,” Barbara agrees easily, “but it doesn’t mean I’m not happy that you’re finally letting yourself do something you’ve always wanted to do. Besides,” she adds, raising her eyes to the skies – well, the high ceiling, “we all know your family could use someone who actually wants to complete their education, and on a higher level.”

“ _Ouch_ ,” Jason whispers, barely holding in a laugh. “You just verbally assassinated a few people, Babs.”

“You think so?” She glances at him. “Stephanie is under my tutelage and she’s attending a university. Look at the facts, Jason.” She pauses for a moment. “Maybe Damian will be inclined to follow into your footsteps in the future. In this particular instance, I don’t think Bruce would mind.”


End file.
